（Don’t worry about my skill, Haruto. You go first, leave this place to me）

Though he can’t see her in her spirit form, he could feel that Aisia is smiling right in front of him. He knows that she then shifted to the side immediately to open a path for him.

「What’s the matter, Haruto? 」

Slightly ahead of him, Celia is turning around to ask him.

（Look, even Celia is noticing your abnormal behaviour you know?）

Rio’s walking awkwardly after being urged by Aisia.

「I’m sorry. It’s nothing」

After standing beside Celia, he put on the best smile he can.

「Is that so？ 」

Celia’s tilting her head while showing a doubtful expression on her face as if peering at Rio’s face.

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「Yes」

While Rio’s nodding at Celia,

（……….. Sorry Aisia. Can you help me by tailing those men’s side for a while in your spirit form?）

He sent a telepathic communication to Aisia. At the same time he is starting to walk due to Celia urging him with 「Let’s go」.

（Yeah）

Aisia agreed to his request immediately.

Rio’s expression is that of someone feeling apologetic.
（Thank you. But, no matter how much we were connected together, merging back will become troublesome when both of us move a separate ways too far apart. That’s why please return immediately if you can’t find any useful information within 3 days）

（Yeah, understood）

Along with those words, Aisia left Rio’s body while still in her spirit form.

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（Aisia, do not materialize your body at any cost. Your safety is the priority. If by some chance something unexpected happened, return immediately. I want you to promise me that）

Though he thinks that he is just being selfish―― He has no choice but to rely on Aisia in his current situation.

（Don’t worry）

Aisia’s replying with her monotonous tone.

（…………）

Though he feels an undescribable uneasy feeling, since he can’t say anything to her he has no choice but to keep walking forward.

Thereupon――、

（Thank you Haruto）

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A telepathic message came from Aisia.

Rio’s showing a surprised face for a moment.

（……….. Why are you the one who saying your gratitude. I should be the one who says those words right?）

Rio asked that question to Aisia via telepathic message but,

「Are you really okay, Haruto? Could it be that you’re tired? It’s okay, there’s no need for you to bear all the burden by yourself you know? Tell me immediately if you feel that you’re under the weather, okay? 」

Celia who is walking by his side is voicing her worries. She is looking at Rio who just walked in silence from his side.

「There’s really no problem with my body. Sorry, I’m just pondering about something」

“I must not let her worry about me”―― Thinking so, Rio changed his train of thought.

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He heard no reply from Aisia since she might be unwilling to become a hindrance to his conversation with Celia.

「…………. Really, you’re not forcing yourself right? Right? 」

「Yes. Thank you very much」

Rio is saying his gratitude while smiling lightly at Celia.

「W-Why are you smiling? 」

「Nothing, it just that Celia looks like a sensei just now. It feels fresh」

“I really missed that side of you”―― Rio swollowed back those words.

But, maybe because Celia can guess what he is thinking right now, her face became flushing red.

「H-Hey, it’s because I Really am A sensei. What’s with “look like’ just now」

「Oh, you’re right」

Rio is smiling while reminiscensing of the past. After that, Rio didn’t try to communicate with Aisia till they left the town.

◇ ◇ ◇

While Aisia is looking at Rio’s back from afar in her spirit form,

（It’s because Haruto is truly cherishing about me）

She replied so in a low voice to answer Rio’s question from a while ago.

So she wished, after she was no longer able to see Rio-tachi’s back, Aisia turned around.

A spirit in their spirit form won’t receive any kind of physical obstruction. As if they were weightless, or floating in the air, she then headed toward the direction where the men who questioned Rio-tachi a while ago went to.

（Ah, found him）

When she found the middle aged man who talked to Rio a while ago, she then followed after him.

She is chasing after the man who entered the alley by his side.

Thereupon, there she found many other adventurers gathered.

Maybe because all the member has gathered, he suddenly talked to those men.

「How about that group, Arein-san? That group, despite knowing about that person, it seems they aren’t taken more than necessary information………..」

The middle aged adventurer asked as if waiting for the reply.

「…………. I’m a little curious. The candidate who knows about that person just increased. Nevertheless, though he tried to gather more information, he backed away immediately Huhm……….」

Arein is showing a pensive look on his face as if pondering about something.

「If that’s the case, what shall we do then? 」

「……… I don’t mind to complete our temporary contract for the time being. Reward is given but there’s a condition attached to it」

After saying so, Arein took out a bag filled with big siver coins from his bosom pocket. The adventurers became excited in seeing that.

「Hou, so you’re giving up. Is that really okay with you? 」

「I don’t mind. In the first place I never expected to find the one I’m looking for. Moreover, I did say “With condition attached” right? 」

Arein is saying so while shrugging his shoulder.

「Well, you did say that. So, what is that condition? 」

「I want you to greet the travelers who pass by this post town from now on. At the same time you also can’t carelessly reveal about my identity. But when you find someone saying they don’t know about that person, ask for his reason, the time limit is one week starting from today, I’ll be waiting for your investigation. Since I’ll be back to this town at that time. Now let me reward the guy who left outstanding result in his investigation with some bonus」

「……….. Hou, I’ll welcome that very much. I’ll gladly do this kind of job」

The adventurers showing wilful attitude.

In fact, this request is good waay too good. The payout is good so there’s no reason to refuse this commission.

「I see. In that case, please」

「Roger that. Well then, let me to count the number of big silver coin, just to make sure」

「I know. Please finish it quickly」

「Well no need to hurry. Hehe」

The adventurers then sitting cross-legged on the ground, spread open a cloth and then pouring the big silver coins from the pouch. They then counted the big silver coins with nimble movements.

And then, tens of seconds later.

「200 big silver coins in total. I confirmed that the number is correct. Arein-san」

The middle aged adventurer is speaking so in a good mood.

「I see. In that case I shall excuse myself now」

After saying those, Arein is leaving in silence and went toward the south gate that was used by Rio-tachi.

At the same time, Aisia who’s spying on both the adventurers and Arein who just left.

（……… Is he the person who is looking for someone who knows about Lucius? If that’s the case, the adventurers of this town have nothing to do with this matter don’t they? Will I get the information about Lucius if I follow that guy?）

She couldn’t gain any important information with that simple exchange just now. The only thing she knew was the fact that the man who just left was the one who hired the adventurers of this place.

The remaining adventurers is less than 20 people―― That is the total number of adventurers who are active in this town.

「Was it…………… Only this much? Aren’t our share less than the others! ? 」

At that time, the angry voice of a young adventurer resounded. The owner of this voice is Orin, the leader of the youngest adventurer party in this town.

It seems he disagrees with the amount of the divided reward.

When Aisia is glancing at the leftover coin on the cloth that spread on the ground, 8 big silver coins was allocated to Orin party.

They received total amount of 200 big silver coin including the bonus―― If that number is divided by less than 20 people equally, one person should be able to get more than 10 big silver coins.

And yet, Orin’s party is receiving no less than 8 big silver coin for their 4 man party. With this, one person should get 2 big silver coin. It’s absolutely a turn off.

「Because you guys didn’t make that much contribution. You guys didn’t even speak to the party you’re responsible to」

The middle aged adventurer looked at Orin party as if put a blame on them.